Flexible generator drive



March 14, 1950 w. F. FELL 2,500,281

FLEXIBLE GENERATOR mam:

Filed Nov. 27, 1945 INVENTOR WILL/HM EFELL ATTOR-NEY Patented Mar. 14, 1950 FLEXIBLE GENERATOR DRIVE William Francis Fell, Hasbrouck Heights, N. 1.,

assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Teterboro, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application November 27, 1945, Serial No. 631,0

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to engine driven generators of the type shown in my copending application Serial No. 505,688, filed October 9, 1943, and now U. S. Patent No. 2,411,781, granted November 26, 1946. An object of the invention is to provide an improved flexible generator drive and a drive shaft construction for damping the effects of engine vibration.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a generator, a simplified vibration damping means, including a drivin member and a driven member and a rubber bonded connection between the two members for lessening the effects of engine vibration and a construction affording a flexible drive shaft for the generator.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a generator, a novel and compact assemblage including a drive shaft having a rubber bonded connection between the driving and driven portions thereof.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from inspection of the following specification when read with reference to the accompanying drawin wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be expressly understood however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

The drawing is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying the invention.

The invention is shown in the drawing as incorporated in a cylindrical housing I having end bearing plates 2 and 3, respectively, to receive bearing assemblies 4 and 5 in which is rotatably mounted a hollow shaft 6. On the hollow shaft 6, there is mounted an armature I having a winding 8 of conventional type and a commutator 9. Pole pieces project from the inner surface of the housing I and about the pole pieces ID are suitable fleld windings H of conventional type. Spring bias 'brush members, one of which is shown at l2, are mounted on the end plate 2 and c0- operate with the armature 9 in a manner well known in the art.

The foregoing structure is well known in the art and has been described in detail in my aforenoted copending application.

Projecting from the end plate 3 is a flange It for facilitating mounting of the unit on the wall or crankcase of the prime mover or engine. The flange I: has formed therein a recess it for receiving my novel flexible drive shaft and engine vibration damping means. The latter means includes a splined end 15 suitably brazed to a novel front plate member I6 rotatably mounted within the recess 14 of the flange II. A second or rear plate member I I is also rotatably mounted in the recess l4 and is suitably brazed to an internally splined hub portion I9 having suitable internal teeth drivingly engaging teeth 2| formed at the outer end of the hollow shaft 6. Disc 22 formed of a plastic material such as rubber and having suitable elastic properties is positioned between the plate members 16 and I1 and bonded at opposite sides to both plate members by vulcanization or other suitable means. The plastic disc 22 thus provides a flexible driving connection between the plate members I6 and H.

A plate 23 is positioned in the end of the hub 19 and is connected by a bolt 24 with a collar 25 mounted in the opposite end of the hollow shaft 6. The bolt 24 has a cleft end 24A and a. screwthreaded end 26 engaging a nut 21 so as to put the rod 24 under tension and thereby hold the hub IS in operative relation. The cleft portion 24A is accessible through a channel 28 extending longitudinally in the splined end 15. Thus the flexible coupling may be readily fastened to the hollow shaft 6 by the insertion of a screw-driver in the channel 24A so as to tighten the bolt 24 and thereby operably connect the splined end I5 through the plastic rubber-like member 20 and hub 19 to the hollow shaft 6. The splined end I5 is arranged to receive a correspondingly splined driving shaft of an engine or other prime mover not shown. The flexible coupling assembly as will be readily seen from the drawing is compactly positioned within the recess ll of the flange iii. In the operation of the assembly, it will be seen that the plastic connecting member 22 provides a convenient means for damping engine vibration and also affords a flexible driving means for the generator.

although only one embodiment of the inventionhas been illustrated and described, various changes in the form and relative arrangement of the parts, which will now appear to those skilled in the art, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Reference is, therefore, to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class including a casing, a stator carried by the casing, and a main shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and carrying a rotor member; the improvement comprising said casing having a recess formed in the exterior surface thereof, a first plate drivingly connected to said main shaft and rotatably positioned in said recess, an auxiliary shaft, 9. second plate drivingly connected to said auxiliary shaft, a disc formed of a rubber-like material and bonded at opposite surfaces to said first and second plates for flexibly connecting said main and auxiliary shafts in driving relation, said auxiliary shaft having an opening in the end thereof, and means accessible through the open end of said auxiliary shaft for disconnecting said auxiliary shaft from driving relation with said main shaft.

2. In a device of the class including a casing, a stator carried by the casing, and a main shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and carrying a rotor member; the improvement comprising said casing having a recess formed in the exterior surface thereof, a portion of said main shaft pro- Jecting into said recess, external teeth formed on said main shaft, a first plate rotatably mounted 20 auxiliary shaft aflixed to said second plate, a disc formed of a rubber-like material and bonded at opposite surfaces to said first and second plates for flexibly connecting said main and auxiliary shafts in driving relation, said auxiliary shaft having a channel open at one end of said auxiliary shaft and extending longitudinally in said auxiliary shaft, a rod extending longitudinally through said main shaft for securing said hub in position, and said rod having a cleft portion at one end accessible through the open end of said auxiliary shaft.

WILLIAM FRANCIS FELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,361,226 Miner, Jr., et a1. Oct. 24, 1944 2,437,954 Havill Mar. 16, 1948 

